The story has been building for quite some time. Many felt Ozzy Trapilo was staring down a potential career-killing injury with that patellar tendon rupture this past January. There were real fears that he wouldn’t be able to return until 2027, leaving his future in doubt. So when he returned to Chicago Bears training camp in mid-August, it was considered a minor miracle. Not only was he back practicing, but there was a chance he’d reclaim his starting left tackle job long before anybody thought it’d be possible.
There is good news and bad news on that front. Trapilo has finally started logging snaps in actual games, playing 17 against the Atlanta Falcons and 19 against the New England Patriots. That tells you the Bears are putting more and more on his plate, gaining confidence in that knee. However, the bad news is that Trapilo might struggle to reclaim his spot.
It isn’t because he’s played terribly in his short stints. This is more because Theo Benedet has actually been playing well since taking over the starting job in week 4.
Ozzy Trapilo is running into a classic NFL problem.
That is the danger of having your spot taken out from under you. There is a reason NFL players fear getting injured. They know there are only so many starting jobs on a roster. If you’re not available to fill one, the team must find someone who can. Such circumstances can often lead to said replacement performing well enough that the team is reluctant to remove them, even when the original starter is healthy. The most famous example is when Tom Brady replaced Drew Bledsoe in 2001.
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Such an event could be unfolding for Ozzy Trapilo. Benedet struggled a bit in his first start against the New York Jets, allowing 4 quarterback pressures. However, since then, he’s played better, allowing just 6 pressures in 3 games. He has also furthered his reputation as a solid run-blocker. Many felt the only reason Benedet couldn’t start was his pass-protection weakness. If the former undrafted free agent has solved that problem, then it might prove difficult for Trapilo to finish his redemption arc.
Chicago’s next game will likely decide a lot.
The Bears will go into the inhospitable home of the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Their defense ranks among the league’s best, having just gotten done smothering the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. Everybody saw what they did to Drake Maye in their two meetings with the Patriots between February and September. The only way you beat them is if the protection can hold up against that fierce defensive front. If Benedet crashes back down to earth, it would open the door for Trapilo to reclaim his job.
If he doesn’t? Then the team suddenly faces a controversy at left tackle, far different from the one they expected. It would be a tremendous accomplishment for Benedet, who’s fought through so much to reach this point. For Trapilo, it would be an obstacle he must overcome. The team hasn’t lost faith in him. He’ll just have to wait for the next opportunity.
